Chase Sapphire Reserve Adds Access to Air Canada Lounges

Here's a fun development: the Chase Sapphire Reserve card now offers access to Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges. This partnership is a little unusual since typically we don't see credit cards partnering directly with an airline for lounge access (Amex and Delta being the most prominent example). But this is a clever way to increase the value of the Sapphire Reserve card while cross-selling it to Air Canada loyalists who may already hold the Chase Aeroplan card. Let's dig into the details of this creative partnership involving the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Air Canada lounges.

RELATED: What lounge can I access?

Which Maple Leaf Lounges Are Participating?

Not every Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge is participating at this time. Perhaps the most notable exception are the lounges in Montreal (YUL). Here is the initial list of participating locations, which includes airports in Canada, the US, and Europe:

United States  

• Los Angeles (LAX) – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, Terminal 6 (reopening November 2024) 
• New York LaGuardia (LGA) – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, Terminal B Eastern Concourse 
• San Francisco (SFO) – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, Terminal 2 

Europe 

• Frankfurt (FRA) – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge  
• London Heathrow (LHR) – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge  

Canada 

• Calgary (YYC) – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge   
• Edmonton (YEG) – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge 
• Halifax (YHZ) – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge 
• Ottawa (YOW) – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge 
• Regina (YQR) – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge   
• St.  Johns (YYT) – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge 
• Saskatoon (YXE) – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge 
• Toronto Pearson (YYZ)
  • Domestic departures – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge and Air Canada Café  
  • U.S. departures – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge and Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Express 
  • International departures – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge (excludes Air Canada Signature Suite)  
• Toronto Downtown Billy Bishop (YTZ) – Aspire Air Canada Café  
• Vancouver (YVR)
  • Domestic departures – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge 
  • U.S. departures – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge 
  • International departures – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge (excludes Air Canada Signature Suite) 
• Winnipeg (YWG) – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge 

What Are the Access Rules for Cardholders?

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders and authorized users will receive complimentary access to participating Maple Leaf Lounges. Cardholders must present their Sapphire Reserve card and a departing same-day boarding pass for a flight operated by Air Canada or a Star Alliance member airline. I do not see any language limiting access to within a certain time before departure.

Guests are not included, but may be invited subject to charge. The fee for bringing a guest is CAD $59 for locations within Canada, USD $59 for locations within the US, EUR $59 for locations within the EU, and GBP $59  for locations within the UK. There does not appear to be any exception for children, regardless of age, which can sting for families.

I wonder whether Ritz-Carlton cardholders are eligible to access Maple Leaf Lounges as well. One the one hand, Chase treats the Ritz-Carlton card similarly to the Sapphire Reserve when it comes to accessing its own Chase lounges. But Air Canada's page refers only to the Sapphire Reserve, without mentioning the Ritz-Carlton or J.P. Morgan Reserve cards. If you manage to access a Maple Leaf Lounge with a Ritz-Carlton card, please share your data point in our Facebook group.

Chase Sapphire Reserve Adds Access to Air Canada Lounges: ToP Thoughts

Chase's new partnership with Air Canada to grant cardholders access to Maple Leaf Lounges is a creative way to bolster the value of the Sapphire Reserve card. The access rules resemble those for accessing Delta SkyClubs with an American Express Platinum Card or Business Platinum Card. Meanwhile, I wonder whether Chase might be exploring a similar agreement to grant cardholders access to United Club lounges on similar terms.

Do you plan on making any use of this new benefit? Come share your thoughts in our Facebook group!

H/T Doctor of Credit